The BBC Blether Centre has retired licking its wounds and a glorious sunny day appeared from nowhere-like a dolt from the grey as they used to say in Lithuanian Marshes. Sadly Huttonian has had to abandon the Borders putting off the first mow of the pre Spring for an academically connected day in Ould Reekie. The sun up here has brought out of hibernation the first mendicant pipers of the season. What they have been doing during the long dark nights I am not sure but what they have not been doing is practising their repertoire. A wailing and a warbling as the moths escape from the pipes and even the early Japanese, usually suckers for cultural degradation, as long as it is exotic, and generous with their specie, risk death by suddenly crossing Princes Street to escape the banshees. When there are two pipers opposite each other on either side the e Js have a problem which they solve by either hiding in Jenners until the ordeal is over or waiting patiently 50 metres from the nearest piper and as soon as he is out of puff (mercifully soon after the long evenings of wall to wall ciggies) scuttle past, eyes averted cameras at the port. They will be back in August by which time the pipers will have mastered 'A Scottish Soldier (now an endangered species) 'The return of Mel Gibson to Bannockburn' (often requested by Aussie tourists) 'Farewell to the Franc' (a favourite lament with French visitors) and other compositions going back to the Gallic mists of time.

I am glad to report that yer man with his wee dog is looking well as is the cur. The fierce March sun is restoring his Mediterranian holiday tan and was at the receiving end of much specie donated by the unmusical Easterners. The dog is in his (I checked) early summer fatigues-surplus from Abu Ghuraib and withstood loving pats from the tourists with only the occasional sotte voce warning growl: 'Pat on head ok, pat on back watch it Jimmie, pat on bum Tora Tora Tora! '

Now off to Academe. If I am spared  ¶ 11:32 AM